Participate in a Takeback Program
Companies such as Staples, Xerox, Samsung and HP offer free takeback programs to recycle used printer cartridges.
Alternative Ways to Recycle
Sell to Cartridges for Kids
If you are an administrator or teacher, or involved with a non-profit organization, Cartridges for Kids will pay for and recycle your used cartridges. They accept laser and inkjet cartridges, and they provide free labels.
Quill.com Recycling Program
Send your used cartridges to Quill.com’s ink and toner recycle program.
Best Buy Ink and Toner Recycling
Best Buy stores accept ink and toner cartridges for recycling. Find the nearest store.
Staples Take Back Program
Staples accepts ink and toner cartridges for recycling both online and at their store locations. Find out how to return cartridges to Staples.
Ways to Reduce
Buy Printers That Use Cartridge-Free Ink
Some companies, like Xerox, now make printers that use cartridge-free solid ink, which creates up to 90% less waste and uses 30% less energy than cartridges.
Leave Your Inkjet Printer On
Leaving your printer on at all times will avoid starting an ink-wasting maintenance cycle. According to an interview Canon did with Consumer Reports, if you turn the printer off “it may do a longer clean.” Even though they are consuming energy when on, inkjets consume very little power when they’re not being used.
Print in Draft Mode
If you’re not working on something important, print in draft mode, which reduces the amount of ink that is used.
Avoid Large Photos
Large photos, especially those printed in high-quality mode, use up the most ink, so avoid printing those whenever possible.
Choose Laser Printers for B&W
It’s a good idea to use a laser printer for black and white printing jobs since laser printers don’t use maintenance ink and are great at printing out text.
Ways to Reuse
Do Your Own Refills
Instead of buying new printer cartridges, refill your old ones. If you want to do it yourself, just buy an ink refill kit at an office supply store, and follow these instructions.
